The
Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) has announced the recipients
of the 2003 Walter B. Jones and NOAA Awards for Excellence in Coastal
and Ocean Management. The awards honor excellence in unique coastal
and ocean resource management programs, as well as public and private
endeavors to conserve America's coasts. Eileen Vandenburgh, of the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Institute of Marine Sciences,
is being recognized for her research examining how Marine Protected
Areas affect shellfish populations and the sustainability of fisheries.
She is a NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Graduate Research
Fellow at the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, and
will be recognized at a ceremony on March 19, 2003, in Washington, D.C.

“Across
our nation, remarkable people with extraordinary abilities are making
a difference in our coastal communities,” said retired Navy Vice
Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher,
Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA
administrator. “We are proud to recognize these individuals and
organizations who dedicate countless hours and energy to conserving
coastal resources and improving the coastal environment.”

The
winners were chosen from a pool of more than 50 qualified nominees by
an independent panel of judges. The criteria for evaluation are based
on innovative approaches in coastal zone management - helping to maintain
coasts and ocean resources and balance the needs of these resources
with human use.

The
ceremony will be hosted by NOAA Administrator Conrad C. Lautenbacher,
Jr., and Jamie Hawkins, acting assistant administrator for NOAA National
Ocean Service (NOAA Oceans and Coasts).
The awards were created to honor the late 11-term North Carolina Congressman
Walter B. Jones. As chairman
of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, Congressman Jones
was a strong supporter of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA)
and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA
Fisheries). He provided leadership on numerous legislative initiatives
addressing coastal and ocean issues ranging from commercial shipping
to oil spill clean-up and prevention to flood insurance reform.

The
CZMA created the National Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP),
a unique and voluntary partnership of federal and state governments,
to provide a balance between land and water uses in coastal zones and
conservation of fragile coastal resources. The CZMA also created the
National Estuarine Research
Reserve System, a national system of estuarine reserves that represent
coastal and estuarine habitats and provide long-term research and education
to improve coastal management decision-making. NOAA’s Office of
Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM)
administers the CZMA.

The
Commerce Department’s National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through
the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and
providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and
marine resources.